Meek Mill #DC4 is HERE! What To Expect | Kevin Gates 180 Days Jail Wife UPSET | Weezy Vs Baby | LIVE
After weeks of exchangingblows in a heated dispute with The Game, it seems likeMeek Mill is laying the beef to rest toregain focuson his forthcoming album, DC4. On Thurs (Oct. 20), music industry consultantKaren Civil dropped Meek Mill"s tentativeDC4tracklist on Twitter, confirming thatthe Philly MC is indeed back to business.
In recent weeks, he"s been building up the anticipation surrounding his upcoming release, droppingasingle titled "Black Moses" from the politically-charged movie The Birth of A Nation and followingup with an Instagram video of himself rapping a DC4 track snippet:"Regular, regular, regular/ I do not see no competitors." To whet the appetiteof fans, Meek deactivated his Instagram, another clue suggestingtherapper is back inalbum mode.
Check out a draft of Meek Mill"sDC4tracklist below.
Gov. Mike Pence: It"s time for Republicans to come home
Running mates, particularly in this election, don"t get much attention. But when your plane skids off the runway at LaGuardia Airport in New York, as happened to Indiana Gov. Mike Pence on Thursday night, the TV news outlets come calling.
Pence on Friday got a lighter version of the"Full Ginsburg" treatment, so named for attorney William Ginsburg after he appeared on five major Sunday TV news shows to discuss his client, Monica Lewinsky, in the late1990s.
Pence appeared on CBS, NBC, ABC, CNN and Fox -- either in the studio or by phone.
"It was about 10 seconds of uncertainty," Pence told "CBS This Morning."
"[The plane] fishtailed a bit," Pence told ABC"s "Good Morning America", adding that his son, a Marine Corps aviator, likes to say that "every landing you walk away from is a good one."
"It seemed like the first responders were literally around the plane before we came to a rest," Pence told NBC"s"Today."
Pence was a game guest, modestly recounting the brief ordeal before touting Donald Trump"s presidential bid and deflecting controversial questions about voter fraud and violence.
He downplayed law enforcement concerns aboutpost-election violence on the CBS interview.
I really just don"t see it, Pence said.The people that are rallying around this team, rallying around our cause, love this country.
He said he trusts the voting process "very broadly"but pointed to "ample examples of fraud" before pivoting to a pitch for Trump.
Leading Chinese smartphone maker, Coolpad has been in the news for quite some time now. The company has produced some of the immensely popular phones like Coolpad Note 3, Coolpad Mega, and the Coolpad Max.
Coolpad entered into the highly competitive Indian smartphone market with the launch of Coolpad Note 3. Coolpads success mantra includes launching premium quality phones at an affordable price tag while keeping its customers satisfied with its after-sales support. The company was also ranked #1 in customer satisfaction on Amazon.in.
Now Coolpad is launching a new beast of a smartphone on 30 September 2016. The company has been teasing about it for more than a week as the unveiling was earlier slated to happen on 23 September, but it has now been pushed by a week to the last day of this month.
Here Are Some Interesting Teasers About The Phone
Coolpad has been calling the phone as the Beast among the best indicating that it would offer best-in-class performance in its segment. Also the company has been hinting at number 5 in every teaser. This could mean 5 GB RAM (which sounds odd), 5000 mAh battery, or 5 interesting features.
Fast & Powerful
The company has also shared many teaser images revolving around the performance of this upcoming phone. One of my favourite teaser image shows a sprinter ready to start the race with current running through his/her veins and number 5 printed on the start line.
We will make you roar again. "Beast" is on the way. Stay tuned. #BeastAmongTheBest #Coolpad pic.twitter.com/AUI1nq2id4
Coolpad India (@CoolpadInd) September 3, 2016
Battery Backup
The phone is also hinted to have a great battery backup with the use of a phrase- The Endurance Of A Camel. The teaser image shows a camel having a battery icon drawn on its skin. This is more than enough to take a guess about the battery backup of the phone.
Strong, sturdy and ever ready, #BeastAmongTheBest! Coming soon. pic.twitter.com/WdMLlsmcZ9
Coolpad India (@CoolpadInd) September 16, 2016
Powered By Qualcomm Snapdragon
The next teaser shows a dragon alongside the SoC indicating that the phone would be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset. It is worth noting that most of the people perceive the Snapdragon chips to be superior than other chips.
1.2.3 just like that. The beast is as fast as it gets, it really is a #BeastAmongTheBest. #StayTuned #Coolpad pic.twitter.com/fgVHeN00fs
Coolpad India (@CoolpadInd) September 15, 2016
Master of The Darkness
The teaser shows the image of the night sky hinting at the low-light imaging prowess of the rear camera. They have used the phrase The Vision Of An Owl to highlight this feature.
The image shows stars and two constellations in the sky, one of which has figure 5 at its centre, while the other resembles an owl. The teaser also brags about the front-facing LED flash of the phone.
"See brilliance" with our newest offering. #BeastAmongTheBest! Coming soon. #StayTuned #Coolpad pic.twitter.com/IbjBg83yQd
Coolpad India (@CoolpadInd) September 17, 2016
Also in another tweet the company has managed to morph the front side of the phone into a train moving in a tunnel with its headlight ON. The headlight again hints at the presence of the front-facing LED for taking better selfies during the night.
Speed, performance & elegance are all set to hit new benchmarks. Our Beast is on the way. Stay tuned :) #BeastAmongTheBest #Coolpad pic.twitter.com/ZlEgZXWkcG
Coolpad India (@CoolpadInd) September 24, 2016
The company has recently slashed the price of Coolpad Max by a whopping Rs. 11,000 and it now retails for Rs. 13,999 on Amazon.
Now, with whatever information we have from the teasers it is safe to assume that the upcoming phone would be a premium phone with a price tag similar to that of the launch price of Cool Max which was Rs. 24,999.
Expected Specifications Of The Upcoming Coolpad Phone
We are expecting that with the launch of this phone, Coolpad is expecting to one up its previous flagship model- Coolpad Max.
Talking about the specifications, we are hoping that the phone would feature a Snapdragon processor in all probability. Other specifications should be 4 GB RAM, 64 GB ROM, 5.5 full-HD display, front-facing LED flash, Android Marshmallow 6.0, rear fingerprint scanner, dual SIM support with 4G VoLTE, and a 5000 mAh battery (fingers crossed).
Coming to the price of the phone We all know that Coolpad offers extremely competitive pricing on most of their handsets, and if same remains true, we are hoping that Coolpad Beast would be priced between around Rs. 15,000 to max Rs. 18,000. Anything above that and it will be termed over-priced. A lot will depend on which processor is used in the phone!
Now all we can do is wait and watch while trying to get more sense out of teasers unveiled by Coolpad India.
Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post written in partnership with Coolpad.
"Coolpad Launching A "Beast" On 30 Sept; Here Is What You Should Expect From It!", 5 out of 5 based on 5 ratings.Check These Related Articles!
Beyond The Vine Compilation | Best Vines October 2016 Photo Neil Wampler was greeted by supporters as he left federal court in Portland, Ore., on Thursday. He is one of seven antigovernment protesters unexpectedly acquitted of federal conspiracy and weapons charges. Credit Don Ryan/Associated Press
(Want to get this briefing by email? Heres the sign-up.)
Good morning.
Heres what you need to know:
On the campaign trail.
The Republican Partys biggest donors are shifting their cash to congressional races and away from Donald J. Trump, the latest campaign money disclosures show. The nominee also appears to be cutting back on funding his race as well.
Photo Donald J. Trumps running mate, Gov. Mike Pence, had a scare at La Guardia Airport in New York when his plane skidded off the runway on Thursday. Credit Lucas Jackson/Reuters
President Obama is scheduled to hold a rally for Hillary Clinton in Florida today. Mrs. Clinton will be in Iowa. Mr. Trump will be there, too, along with stops in New Hampshire and Maine.
Photo Chelsea Clintons comments about her fathers aides were revealed in the thousands of emails obtained by hackers and released by WikiLeaks over the past month. Credit Doug Mills/The New York Times
Separately, our review of the latest hacked emails found that they portray Chelsea Clinton as devoted to her parents and being confronted with the cutthroat world surrounding her family.
{{= c_phrase }}
Verdict in Oregon standoff case.
The antigovernment protesters Ammon and Ryan Bundy, and the five followers who helped them carry out the armed takeover of a wildlife refuge last winter, were acquitted of conspiracy on Thursday.
The surprise decision was a blow to federal prosecutors, who have two similar cases coming up.
North Dakota pipeline protest.
More than 140 protesters were arrested overnight during a standoff with law enforcement officials, the police said. Pepper spray and armored vehicles were used to disperse the demonstrators, according to the local sheriffs department.
Russian foreign policy under scrutiny.
Moscow rejected the findings of an investigation led by the United Nations that found that Syrian forces had used chlorine bombs. Russia also denied responsibility for airstrikes that hit a school in northern Syria, killing more than 20 children.
And documents released by Ukrainian hackers claim to provide new evidence that the Kremlin had a direct role in creating and directing the rebel uprising in eastern Ukraine in 2014.
Twist in George Washington Bridge trial.
The possibility of a major snag arose in the lane closing case involving two former aides to Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey. The judge abruptly sent the jury home and adjourned court on Thursday just as lawyers were about to begin their closing arguments.
They are scheduled to begin today.
Seeking an apology, not a pardon.
We recently told you about Britains decision to issue a posthumous pardon to thousands of men who were convicted of gross indecency under a law that targeted gay men.
George Montague was one of the men arrested. But the World War II veteran, now 93, says that accepting the pardon would be to admit that he was guilty. How can I be guilty for being born the way I was? he asked our reporter.
Business
New federal privacy rules require broadband providers to get permission to collect data on a subscribers web browsing, app use, location and financial information.
Photo The F.C.C.s passage of new privacy rules dealt a setback to companies like AT&T and Comcast, which rely on user data for sophisticated targeted advertising. Credit Todd Heisler/The New York Times
The economys expansion since 2009 has led many in the news media to speculate that the next president will face a recession. But its not a given, our writer explains.
Expansions dont die of old age, he says. They die because something specific killed them.
In memoriam: Vine, the video app owned by Twitter, will be shut down in the coming months. We look at what led to its demise.
U.S. stocks were down on Thursday. Heres a snapshot of global markets.
Noteworthy
Stardom, up close.
Four years ago, Kesha was a superstar. Then a contract dispute and her rape claim against her producer sent her career into exile. Shes making new music and hopes she can soon release it.
In April, the writer Michelle McNamara died in her sleep. Her husband, the comedian Patton Oswalt, shared with us his struggle to overcome grief while raising his young daughter, and has vowed to finish the book his wife had started before her death.
Photo Grief is an attack on life. Its not a seducer. Its an ambush or worse. It stands right out there and says: The minute you try something, Im waiting for you, says the comedian Patton Oswalt. Credit Kendrick Brinson for The New York Times
At the movies and on TV.
We have reviews for the new film Inferno starring Tom Hanks, along with two new shows: Amazons Good Girls Revolt and Netflixs The Crown, about the reign of Queen Elizabeth II.
Lastly, our critic explores why pop culture just cant deal with black male sexuality.
Sports roundup.
Game 3 of the World Series between the Chicago Cubs and the Cleveland Indians is tonight (8 p.m. Eastern, Fox). On Sunday, our writer will attend his 100th World Series game. He looks back on some of the most memorable moments hes witnessed.
If you have time this weekend, check out our story on Maurice Lerner, a top baseball prospect in the 50s who later became a hit man for the mob. And we review a new book that celebrates the unsung women in sports history.
Recipe of the day.
Youve made it to the end of the week. Treat yourself to a martini. While you relax, read about our writers barbecue-themed road trip with his fiance.
Back Story
The trees are losing their leaves. There is a chill in the air, pumpkins on porches and fake spider webs hung as decorations. All signs indicate that fall is in full swing or is it autumn?
The season with two names is among the many differences in British and American English. It hasnt always been so.
Photo Im told this Yankeeism sounds unpoetic and almost illiterate. That is how a Times writer described the word fall in an essay in September 1942. Credit Patrick Pleul/DPA, via Agence France-Presse Getty Images
Harvest was used before autumn, by some accounts in the 12th or 13th century. Autumn had joined it by the 16th century, which is also about the time that the terms spring of the leaf and fall of the leaf appeared. They were shortened to spring and fall.
But it was later that the divergence of who used what happened. The settlers who colonized North America preferred fall to autumn.
Over the years, letter writers to The Times have cited British literature in our pages as a reminder of falls roots.
A honey tongue / A heart of gall / Is fancies spring / But sorrows fall, was part of a 1599 poem by Sir Walter Raleigh brought to our attention by a reader in October 1942.
So whichever side of the pond youre on, take a moment to enjoy the colors (or colours) of fall er, autumn this weekend.
Karen Workman contributed reporting.
Your Morning Briefing is published weekdays at 6 a.m. Eastern and updated on the web all morning.
What would you like to see here? Contact us at briefing@nytimes.com.
You can sign up here to get the briefing delivered to your inbox.
‘The Crow’ Actor Michael Massee, Who Accidentally Shot & Killed Brandon Lee Is Dead At 61
Last updated13:25, October 27 2016
Miramax
Brandon Lee"s final film. The actor Michael Massee accidentally shot and killed Lee during the making of the film.
Prolific actor Michael Massee, who played villain Ira Gaines on 24, has died. He was 61.
With more than 80 screen credits to his name, Massee is probably best known for his part in the accidental death of up-and-coming actor Brandon Lee, who was shot and killed on set during the making ofThe Crow.
Massee pulled the trigger on the faulty gun.
He was also well known for his guest starring role on 24, where he played the leader of a terrorist cell for 12 episodes in 2001.
READ MORE:*Actress and activist Alexis Arquette dead at 47*Sound of Music actress Charmian Carr dies at 73*Renowned "mobster" movie actor Jon Polito dies at 65
Frank Trapper
Massee spoke about Lee"s death in in 2005 saying it was something that that still haunted him.
"I just took a year off and I went back to New York and didn"t do anything," he told Extra magazine. "I didn"t work. What happened to Brandon was a tragic accident... I don"t think you ever get over something like that."
Massee returned to work in 1995taking small roles on TV and film, including a bit part in Se7en.
His rugged, sneering look made him a popular character actor in gritty, urban crime films and TV.
ShadowTrader Video 07.03.16 - How to trade earnings in AMZN (Q2 edition)
The following companies are expected to report earnings after hours on 10/27/2016. Visit our Earnings Calendar for a full list of expected earnings releases.
Amazon.com, Inc. ( AMZN ) is reporting for the quarter ending September 30, 2016. The internet company"s consensus earnings per share forecast from the 15 analysts that follow the stock is $0.85. This value represents a 400.00% increase compared to the same quarter last year. AMZN missed the consensus earnings per share in the 4th calendar quarter of 2015 by -37.89%. Zacks Investment Research reports that the 2016 Price to Earnings ratio for AMZN is 140.37 vs. an industry ratio of 18.40, implying that they will have a higher earnings growth than their competitors in the same industry.
Alphabet Inc. ( GOOGL ) is reporting for the quarter ending September 30, 2016. The internet services company"s consensus earnings per share forecast from the 9 analysts that follow the stock is $6.64. This value represents a 15.88% increase compared to the same quarter last year. Zacks Investment Research reports that the 2016 Price to Earnings ratio for GOOGL is 30.60 vs. an industry ratio of 14.80, implying that they will have a higher earnings growth than their competitors in the same industry.
Amgen Inc. ( AMGN ) is reporting for the quarter ending September 30, 2016. The biomedical (gene) company"s consensus earnings per share forecast from the 12 analysts that follow the stock is $2.79. This value represents a 2.57% increase compared to the same quarter last year. In the past year AMGN has beat the expectations every quarter. The highest one was in the 2nd calendar quarter where they beat the consensus by 3.65%. Zacks Investment Research reports that the 2016 Price to Earnings ratio for AMGN is 14.02 vs. an industry ratio of -1.40, implying that they will have a higher earnings growth than their competitors in the same industry.
Baidu, Inc. ( BIDU ) is reporting for the quarter ending September 30, 2016. The internet services company"s consensus earnings per share forecast from the 3 analysts that follow the stock is $0.87. This value represents a 30.40% decrease compared to the same quarter last year. In the past year BIDU has beat the expectations every quarter. The highest one was in the 2nd calendar quarter where they beat the consensus by 11.7%. Zacks Investment Research reports that the 2016 Price to Earnings ratio for BIDU is 48.14 vs. an industry ratio of 14.80, implying that they will have a higher earnings growth than their competitors in the same industry.
Stryker Corporation ( SYK ) is reporting for the quarter ending September 30, 2016. The medical products company"s consensus earnings per share forecast from the 16 analysts that follow the stock is $1.37. This value represents a 9.60% increase compared to the same quarter last year. In the past year SYK has beat the expectations every quarter. The highest one was in the 2nd calendar quarter where they beat the consensus by 2.21%. Zacks Investment Research reports that the 2016 Price to Earnings ratio for SYK is 19.08 vs. an industry ratio of 16.20, implying that they will have a higher earnings growth than their competitors in the same industry.
McKesson Corporation ( MCK ) is reporting for the quarter ending September 30, 2016. The medical/dental supplies company"s consensus earnings per share forecast from the 10 analysts that follow the stock is $3.05. This value represents a 7.85% decrease compared to the same quarter last year. MCK missed the consensus earnings per share in the 1st calendar quarter of 2016 by -18.94%. Zacks Investment Research reports that the 2017 Price to Earnings ratio for MCK is 11.73 vs. an industry ratio of 3.90, implying that they will have a higher earnings growth than their competitors in the same industry.
Aflac Incorporated ( AFL ) is reporting for the quarter ending September 30, 2016. The insurance company"s consensus earnings per share forecast from the 10 analysts that follow the stock is $1.74. This value represents a 11.54% increase compared to the same quarter last year. In the past year AFL has beat the expectations every quarter. The highest one was in the 2nd calendar quarter where they beat the consensus by 1.79%. Zacks Investment Research reports that the 2016 Price to Earnings ratio for AFL is 10.19 vs. an industry ratio of -3.50, implying that they will have a higher earnings growth than their competitors in the same industry.
LinkedIn Corporation ( LNKD ) is reporting for the quarter ending September 30, 2016. The internet services company"s consensus earnings per share forecast from the 3 analysts that follow the stock is $0.27. This value represents a 550.00% increase compared to the same quarter last year. In the past year LNKD and beat the expectations the other three quarters. Zacks Investment Research reports that the 2016 Price to Earnings ratio for LNKD is 187.42 vs. an industry ratio of 14.80, implying that they will have a higher earnings growth than their competitors in the same industry.
Republic Services, Inc. ( RSG ) is reporting for the quarter ending September 30, 2016. The waste removal company"s consensus earnings per share forecast from the 9 analysts that follow the stock is $0.58. This value represents a 9.43% increase compared to the same quarter last year. In the past year RSG has met analyst expectations twice and beat the expectations the other two quarters. Zacks Investment Research reports that the 2016 Price to Earnings ratio for RSG is 23.64 vs. an industry ratio of 14.20, implying that they will have a higher earnings growth than their competitors in the same industry.
Expedia, Inc. ( EXPE ) is reporting for the quarter ending September 30, 2016. The internet company"s consensus earnings per share forecast from the 7 analysts that follow the stock is $2.24. This value represents a 40.88% increase compared to the same quarter last year. Zacks Investment Research reports that the 2016 Price to Earnings ratio for EXPE is 33.04 vs. an industry ratio of 18.40, implying that they will have a higher earnings growth than their competitors in the same industry.
Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. ( HIG ) is reporting for the quarter ending September 30, 2016. The insurance company"s consensus earnings per share forecast from the 7 analysts that follow the stock is $0.95. This value represents a 10.47% increase compared to the same quarter last year. Zacks Investment Research reports that the 2016 Price to Earnings ratio for HIG is 13.24 vs. an industry ratio of 13.90.
Principal Financial Group Inc ( PFG ) is reporting for the quarter ending September 30, 2016. The finance/investment management company"s consensus earnings per share forecast from the 6 analysts that follow the stock is $1.12. This value represents a 5.66% increase compared to the same quarter last year. Zacks Investment Research reports that the 2016 Price to Earnings ratio for PFG is 12.10 vs. an industry ratio of 13.90.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
Anthony Davis 50 Pts Highlights | Nuggets vs Pelicans | October 26, 2016 | 2016-17 NBA Season
Davis drops 50 on Nuggets | Golden 1 Center debut nears | Young Lakers shine in opener | Embiid delivers solid first game
No. 1: Davis dominates in loss to Nuggets-- Just one year ago, New Orleans Pelicans star Anthony Davis was picked by more than 80 percent of NBA GMs to build a team around. However, last season didn"t play out as expected for Davis or the Pelicans as injuries to both he and the team at large led to a 30-win season. Davis came out like a man possessed in the season-opener last night, dropping 50 points on the Denver Nuggets in a loss. Justin Verrier of ESPN.com has more on Davis" monstrous performance:
In his first game since last March, when he was shut down with a month left to play to undergo a left knee procedure, Davis turned in a masterpiece: 50 points (17-for-34 from the field, 16-for-17 from the free throw line), 16 rebounds, 5 assists, 7 steals and 4 blocks.
With it, he becomes only the fourth player in NBA history to score 50 points or more in a season opener. You might have heard of the other three: Michael Jordan (twice), Wilt Chamberlain and Elgin Baylor.
"He"s a h**l of a player," Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry said of Davis. "He"s one of the best players in the league. It doesn"t surprise me that he has the night like he had. It"s not like this is the first time he"s ever done it."
No, but it"s only the second time Davis has scored 50 or more, the first being a 59-point, 20-rebound stunner last season in Detroit.
This time, the celebration -- if there was one -- was muted. After the game, Davis sat slumped in his chair at his locker and lamented that his big night came in the midst of 107-102 loss at home to theDenver Nuggets.
"It would have been more satisfying if we would have won," he said. "The way I played, I"m gonna have to ... probably not 50 every night, but try to get somewhere along those lines every game to give ourselves a chance to win. That"s the bottom line. We just got to go, keep finding guys and trust those guys that they"re going to make shots."
While Davis" performance shook the outside perception like a snow globe, the production of his supporting cast only seemed to reaffirm that there isn"t enough of one to properly take advantage of his special talents.
The 10 other Pelicans who played Wednesday finished with only two points more than Davis and shot 14 percentage points worse from the field.Solomon Hill, who signed a four-year, $50 million deal this offseason, adequately fulfilled his role as lead defender but finished 1-for-7 on the night.Buddy Hield, the No. 6 overall pick in the draft, had a very rookie-ish four points on 2-for-8 shooting.
...
While most teammates noted their awe of their superstar and what he"s able to accomplish, the vibe permeating the locker room after the game was one of disappointment, even shame.
"I would say it"s a double-edged sword," Hill said of Davis" big night. "Because, yeah, he"s gonna go off. But other guys have to just find a way to affect the game. I think we get into a watch mode, and that"s kind of how I was in the first one, just watching AD go. I"ve got to do certain things, whether it"s defensively, whether it"s on the offensive glass, whether it"s on the defensive glass -- I"ve got to do something to affect the game.
"For the first -- probably -- half, we were just watching him when we should be making the job easier. We should be feeding off that. Yeah, if they"re doubling, now there"s opportunities for everybody else to get themselves going and assert themselves as well."
...
Davis, for his part, has fully embraced the burden of his predicament.
"I"m just trying to be aggressive," he said, "just knowing this team goes as I go."
But when 50 points don"t get you far enough, it"s reasonable to wonder where the Pelicans can go from here.
"That"s the way it goes in this league," Gentry said. "We have to count on you more than you would expect, but he"s fine with it. That"s the one thing that I like about what AD has done this summer and the work that he put in this summer and his attitude coming back. This didn"t bother him at all. This is who he wants to be."
No. 2: Sacramento readies for Golden 1 Center debut-- Yes, we know that the Sacramento Kings have technicallyalready played some games at their new arena, the Golden 1 Center. But, those were preseason games and tonight (10:30 ET, NBA LEAGUE PASS) marks the truedebut of the building that helped keep the team in town. As Andy Furillo of The Sacramento Bee writes, this is the moment Sacramento has waited a long time for:
They broke the champagne bottle across the bow of Golden 1 Center for the Paul McCartney concerts a few weeks ago. Now comes the reason they built the joint, which is to house an NBA team that will play its first regular-season game in the arena Thursday night against the San Antonio Spurs. But the creation of the most important building to go up in this town since the state Capitol isnt so much about rock n roll or the Kings. The story instead is about a city long renowned as a sleepy state government outback that has embarked on creating a new identity.
Developmentally speaking, Sacramento had become a cant-do town, probably because in recent decades it botched some of the bigger projects it undertook. It screwed up a chance to create its own French Quarter when it built a freeway along the historic riverfront. Meanwhile, it turned its grand entrance coming in from the Tower Bridge into a dead zone of cracker-box state office buildings.
If the city quit on itself, it took the near-loss of the towns only professional sports franchise to get back in the game. Now the gales of dynamism are blowing across the grid, and the fun will be in watching what the city becomes.
Chris Granger is the president of the Kings, and hes been appointed wheelman by principal owner Vivek Ranadive to drive this thing. Granger is a terrific guy, and in that capacity he refuses to take credit for the success now upon us. He shares the celebration of basketball opening with everybody the kids who sold lemonade to keep the Kings in town when it looked like the team was headed to Seattle, the construction workers who hoisted steel and poured concrete, the designers who qualified the place as the only green-certified LEED Platinum professional sports building in the world, the mayor of Sacramento who made the politics work, and his boss at Kings Inc. who came up with the vision that caught fire.
Granger, a former NBA executive vice president, had been the leagues point man in solving the Kings arena problem for nearly a decade before he joined the team three years ago. He saw the citys failures, its reticence to act. Now, he sees a new ambition in Sacramento .... a new confidence. The rest of us can see it exploding everywhere the new arena, in new restaurants and bars and breweries that open almost every week, and where you see young Untuckits discuss new ventures over coffee at Temple, and where you hear homegrown singers and songwriters creating a Sacramento sound every Wednesday during happy hour at the Torch Club.
There are very few cities in the United States whose future is being written as we speak, Granger said. Thats not the case in Sacramento. We have a real chance as a community to create the city we want. You hear Vivek talk about it all the time we talk about the next great American city, or about the communal fireplace and wanting to create a place that is full of diversity and art and music and sports and a place where people can gather and come together and have a real sense of community.
That community spirit exists in Sacramento, and I think what the Golden 1 Center proves is that when you layer that with new ambition and a new sense of what is possible, I think we can create a city that is different and better and is something that is more future-focused or aspirationally focused than what weve had in the past, and I think we all as a community are recognizing that moment is right now.
...
Sacramento, of course, did not need an arena to become a great American city. But it got one anyway.
Like all sports arenas, this one will wear out someday, and you sure hope it wont be outdated before its paid off. Ultimately, its legacy in Sacramento will not be found in itself, or even if it kick-starts an era of winning by the Kings. Instead, this project will be remembered for what it sparked in the city that embraced its own transformation.
No. 3: Small step forward for Lakers in opener-- As we mentioned in this space yesterday, the Los Angeles Lakers aren"t putting win-total aspirations, playoff hopes or other lofty goals on this season. Progress will be measured instead by the development of the team"s young core players and in various intangibles, too. Still, wins are nice and part of the NBA game and the Lakers got exactly that on opening night by stunning the Houston Rockets. Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical writes about how the Lakers are emerging from their post-Kobe Bryant haze to enter a new era:
Most of these young Lakers had grown accustomed to the Staples Center cheering on Kobe Bryants farewell, a separate season within the franchises most lost year of all. They had grown accustomed to the cheering of wayward, contested shots on the way out the door, on a young team trying to say hello when a legend was saying goodbye.
As the final seconds bled awayon a 120-114 opening-night victoryon Wednesday over Houston, something had changed here. Everyone was cheering an ambitious young coach molding an ambitious young group. These are a long, long way from the Showtime Lakers, but everyone could see: Finally, theyve started on the way somewhere now.
Ill tell you what it felt like: It felt like a home game, guard DAngelo Russell told The Vertical outside his locker on Wednesday night. Last year, we had Kobe and the fans. We had some diehard Lakers fans, and Kobe fans. But we had so many guys who didnt have identities for the fans to recognize. But today, it felt like ahomegame.
You go to Utah, or Houston and theyre rooting for their team. Here, this is the home of the NBA. People come to the see the show, too. Dont get me wrong: Theyre all Lakers fans, theyre incredible, but they want to see the show too.
...
On the first full night of the leagues schedule, there were superstar performances everywhere.Anthony Davis dropped 50 points. DeMar DeRozan had 40. Russell Westbrook closed out the 76ers in the final minutes, with 32 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists. And here at Staples Center, in Mike DAntonis souped-up Rockets offense, Harden had gone for 34 points and 17 assists.
Commissioner Adam Silver was watching courtside at Staples, fully aware of this unmistakable NBA truth: The league is always stronger, always more vibrant and relevant, when the Los Angeles Lakers matter. Now, they have two years to develop this young core of Russell and Julius Randle, Brandon Ingram and Jordan Clarkson, for the free-agent class of 2018.
...
There are no easy fixes, no saviors to rescue them. Those days are long gone. They played tough-minded ball in the final minutes, made stops and found a way to make the Staples Center loud again, found a way to inspire a noise for something bigger than a one-man show, a farewell tour.
We have the talent, Russell told The Vertical. We have the coach. We can do some things this year.
This is how a franchise starts again, how it hits the reset button and starts the long journey back to relevance. There will be a lot of losses at Staples Center this season, but these wont be wasted nights. The Lakers have a coach, young talent and a roadmap to start on the way to mattering again. Its been too long here, and the franchise has a long, long way to go. Anyway, this felt like the start of something on Wednesday night, not the end.
For the Los Angeles Lakers, thats progress. For the Lakers, no more endings, no more goodbyes. Somethings started here again. Yes, this was progress.
No. 4: Embiid impresses in debut-- The hype surrounding Joel Embiid"s season debut was immense, especially when you consider the long, difficult path he"s endured just to get to this point. At the end of last night, Embiid"s Philadelphia 76ers had absorbed a hard-fought 103-97 home loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Still, the feeling from most Philly fans was that Embiid seems to have been worth the wait and Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer has more on Embiid"s debut.
"I try to make it a regular day," Embiid said before the season opener against the Thunder at the Wells Fargo Center. "It"s hard. You think what you"ve gone through the past two years, the loss of my brother and having to get another surgery and all of the ups and downs."
Oklahoma City escaped, 103-97, in a thriller thanks to Russell Westbrook. The NBA all-star point guard finished with a game-high 32 points, 12 rebounds, and nine assists in the come-from-behind victory.
But it can be argued that this expected loss didn"t matter to a portion of fans in the Philadelphia area. To them, this was Joel Embiid Night.
The 22-year-old finished with 20 points, seven rebounds, and two blocks in his first real game - not counting preseason exhibitions - since a lower-back injury derailed him in March 2014 while at Kansas. Two and half years and two foot surgeries later, he is back on the court, seemingly better than ever.
"For a city to be rewarded for a player that we all understand has special gifts," Sixers coach Brett Brown said, "and play like he played, the city deserves it. Most importantly, he deserves it."
So Wednesday was a fitting scenario to make a debut. The 7-foot-2, 276-pounder faced the Thunder and their brute of a center, Steven Adams, in an ESPN game.
The self-proclaimed "Process" showed Adams and a national television audience that he just might be worth the two-year wait.
...
Throughout the game, the crowd was chanting "Trust the process" or "MVP" when Embiid went to the foul line.
And, feeling it in the fourth quarter, he gave his opinion of Adams" defense to no one in particular.
Embiid was fouled by the Thunder center with 10:17 left while going to the basket. He yelled, "He can"t guard me" while standing at the foul line. Embiid said the same thing on the Sixers" ensuing possession, when Adams hacked him again while going to the basket.
Embiid made 6 of 16 baskets and made 7 of 8 foul shots in his 22:25 of action.
"He"s hard to guard," OKC coach Billy Donovan said. "He"s herky-jerky. He"s got a lot of [Hakeem] Olajuwon in him."
SOME RANDOM HEADLINES:The Chicago Bulls have agreed to a deal with recently-waived shooting guard T.J. Hunter ... The Orlando Magic dedicated their opening night to the Pulse night club shooting victims... Jeremy Lin has donated $1 million to his alma mater, Harvard ...
